1957: Frank País killed

Cuba History Timeline Events
July 30, 1957
In the wake of a national wave of terrorism which Castro revolutionaries declared a commemoration of the Moncada attack anniversary, Santiago de Cuba police led by José Salas Cañizares captured and killed Frank Pais. His funeral was a rallying point for revolutionaries, and drew large crowds. Many businesses closed for the day. It was the largest anti-Batista demonstration in that city, the stronghold of anti-Batista revolutionary sentiments.

País’ organization, Revolutionary National Action, merged with the July 26th Movement (M-26-7) after Castro's release from jail. País became the leader of the M-26-7 organization in Oriente province. País had organized the Santiago uprising, and built a revolutionary organization with a very large number of cells in Oriente, primarily focussed on urban terrorism.

Pais had been charged, tried and released at Granma Revolutionaries Trial in connection with November 1956 uprising. He continued his revolutionary activities. Pais went underground shortly after the trial, and was sought in connection with terrorist acts in the summer of 1957, related to which Frank's younger brother, José Pais was killed by police on June 30, 1957.

Frank Pais funeral, Santiago de Cuba, 1957 (Latin American Studies Collection)

based on Manuel Márquez-Sterling's Cuba 1952-1959 and
Cuba 1952-1959 Interactive Timeline